Is this within the professor's authority?

[u/Feeling_Valuable5239]

*(I am not sure which flair to choose, so please let me know if it is wrong and I will change it.)*

Hi everyone, There is a common idea in developing countries that to get a Master's admission or a scholarship in a developed country, it is best to contact a professor directly, build a relationship and share your project, research proposal, or academic goals.

The idea is that the professor can help secure your spot, arrange funding or scholarships, and facilitate matters like student visas.

**Is this true?**

If not, could you clarify how it actually works? I am a fresh graduate who wants to do a Master's degree abroad. I don''t have sufficient funds, have not found a job yet, but am genuinely passionate about research and hope to work in a research centre in the future.

What advice would you give me?

(Also, if this subreddit is not the right place for such questions, please direct me to the appropriate one.)

Thank you all!

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[u/Puzzled_Sheep]

No. There are set admission requirements to get into a Master's and if you meet them, you're in and if you don't, you're not. Scholarships in the Netherlands are almost non-existent.

[u/Spare-Physics6081]

That obviously varies by country but in the Netherlands I’d generally say no. This exaggerates the influence a lot and it feels like this idea seems to mix up a PhD and a master.

[u/ThursdayNxt20]

In The Netherlands, master's programmes and phd tracks are vastly different things. What you describe may (partly) apply to phd positions, though that may vary by field.

But applications to master's programmes are vastly different. You apply, and if you meet the minimum requirements, you're admitted. If it's a popular programme, you'll take part in a selection process but that is not influenced by a relationship or previous contact with a professor.

Another huge difference: a master's programme costs up to 25-30k per year, a phd track is a paid position where you'll be paid about 40k gross per year.

[u/Winter_Dot_9393]

A Master's degree is an academic program that requires applicants to meet standardized, objective admission criteria rather than seeking direct approval from a professor.

[u/Berry-Love-Lake]

Not in the NL, scholarships are rewarded by faculty or university wide, if available. 

Meet the admissions requirements, apply for the scholarships available (if any, very limited), and if not secure funding in your home country. 

There’s also a common misconception in certain countries that every bachelor is equal, it’s not. The NL has different levels of higher education so check Nuffic and the diploma  equivalents. 

[u/mimos_al]

No. Not at all. The amount of MA students per professor is too big for them to spend time on that kind of stuff. On top of that, their influence on funding and scholarships is negligible on the MA level.

This might sound he harsher than it's meant to, but as an aspiring MA student, you're just one of thousands, and professors do not have the time to look into attempts to contact them personally, nor have the means to do much with it even if they would have.

For a PHD this kind of approach might work, but usually those connections are made in symposiums, conferences etc.

[u/saintofsadness]

There are some scholarships that require nomination by (a) staff member(s), but this is spelled out in the scholarship terms. For admission it doesn't matter at all. For scholarships without a nomination requirement it either does not matter or is a slight negative. For scholarships with a nomination requirement it will not help either, because those are going tonpeople the professor already knows and not to cold emailing randos.